This invention relates generally to toy figures for use by children, and more particularly to toy figures that create life-like motion or other effects, and most particularly to a toy figure that simulates the motion of a hooked fish.
Children generally enjoy toys that allow them to simulate the activities of adults. A popular category of these xe2x80x9csimulator toysxe2x80x9d is fishing toys. A variety of fishing toys is known in the prior art. Some of the toys in the prior art include active fish and others include passive fish.
An example of a fishing toy with an active fish is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,025 issued to Chuang (xe2x80x9cChuangxe2x80x9d). Chuang discloses a fishing toy that provides enhanced play value for children by creating life-like effects. The fishing toy in Chuang includes a simulated fish with a two-speed motor that drives the fish""s tail and the fish""s mouth. When the fish is placed in water, the motor slowly moves the jaw and rotates the tail to simulate a swimming fish. When the fish is xe2x80x9chooked,xe2x80x9d the motor moves the jaw and rotates the tail more rapidly to simulate the thrashing of a hooked fish. The fishing toy in Chuang requires a complex two-speed motor and must be used in water, which can be inconvenient for the parent and presents the risk of the child spilling the water.
An example of a fishing toy with a passive fish is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,469 issued to Raizen (xe2x80x9cRaizenxe2x80x9d). Raizen discloses a fish that can be placed on a support surface. The fish can then be lifted from the support surface with a toy fishing hook. The fishing toy in Raizen does not create any type of motion when it is hooked. Thus, the toy does not present a realistic, and therefore interest-holding, experience to the child.
There is therefore, a need for a toy that can simulate the motion of a hooked fish without complex mechanisms or reliance on immersion in water.
The disadvantages of the prior art are addressed by the disclosed invention. A toy figure includes a body with a movable appendage and a drive that produces relative motion between the body and the appendage. The forces that the drive produces are insufficient to move the appendage relative to the body when the body is resting on a support surface. Thus, when the figure is moved so that one or both of the body and the appendage are moved out of contact with the support surface, the appendage can move with respect to the body.
In one embodiment, the toy figure simulates a fish. Accordingly, the body may be configured to resemble the body of a fish, the appendage may be configured to resemble a fish""s tail and to rotate with respect to the fish""s body. When the toy fish is resting on a support surface, the weight of the toy resists the relative motion of the tail and the body. When the toy fish is lifted from a supporting surface, the tail can rotate freely with respect to the body, simulating the thrashing of a hooked fish. The toy fish can be combined with a toy fishing pole, reel, and line with which a user can xe2x80x9chookxe2x80x9d the fish and lift it from the surface.
In other embodiments, the toy figure can simulate other animals or action figures.